


Expectation

by whereismygarden



Series: play on, give me excess [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Golden Lace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-01
Updated: 2013-01-01
Packaged: 2017-12-07 03:25:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/743646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whereismygarden/pseuds/whereismygarden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lacey French wants to buy a CD player and surprises Mr. Gold with her taste in music. Follow-up to "Stereo."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Expectation

Mr. Gold sat behind the counter of his shop, idly polishing a bronze vase with a soft cloth. The piece was engraved with a bizarre design of spikes and towers, and it had stood in the shop for what seemed like ages. Yet, he had found that the strangest pieces had an allure for people, and occasionally one of Storybrooke’s residents would walk out of his shop with something they took an inexplicable shine to. A few weeks ago, the district attorney had distractedly handed over a large sum for a painting of St. George and the dragon, done in all yellows and reds.

The bell at the door chimed and he looked up to see Lacey French walk in, looking around interestedly.

“Shouldn’t you be in school, dearie?” he asked. “It’s only just past two.” She and her irrepressible friend, Ruby, were seniors, if he recalled correctly. Not that he cared: if the school couldn’t keep its own students under control, he doubted they were learning much there. She didn’t even attempt to deny it.

“It’s only ancient history for my last class,” she said. “Not exactly the kind of thing you need to be present in class to understand.” She was wearing a skirt to her knees, demure for her (no doubt a result of the school’s dress code), a low-cut shirt, and a sparkling necklace that drew the eye to her breasts. Gold looked for a second: no one who would mind was present in the shop, and if Lacey thought she could fluster him, she was wrong. She was holding a drawstring bag in her hand and idly swinging it, twisting the cords around her fingers.

“Can I help you?” he said, setting the vase back into its place on a shelf.

“Actually, I need a CD player. But I want a nice one, made of wood.” At least she had a purpose. He led her over to the few CD players he had. There were two in wood settings, designed to look a bit like old radios.

“This one has a radio in it as well, and an mp3 adaption,” he indicated the darker one. He had added the mp3 extension himself—it hadn’t even been hard, just a matter of another few wires going to the speakers—when he realized that a CD player that was only a CD player wouldn’t be worth much to anyone. Lacey nodded, running her fingers over the smooth wood.

“I’d like to test it,” she said. He smirked a little.

“Don’t trust me?” He had a few CDs for sale, as well, and turned to fetch one. “It’s only fair, I suppose.”

“I came prepared,” she said, holding up her bag. “Unless you object?” Her eyes were daring him, her head cocked to one side, and her teeth half bared in an open-mouthed smile. He wondered if she baited everyone in town like this. He waved his hand at her.

“Go ahead,” he said dismissively. He hoped to God she hadn’t brought anything too horrible, but, based on the music that had disturbed him a few days ago, that wouldn’t be the case. She pulled out a CD case from her bag, handling it carefully. The cover was an eery-looking photograph, the sort of thing that usually adorned alternative albums, with no writing.

“What album is that?” he asked, as lightly as possible. Lacey set the CD itself gently into the player.

“ _The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me_ ,” she said, closing the player and clicking through the first few songs.

“A mouthful,” he said. She hit the play button and closed her eyes, a certain tension settling on her. The song was sad and angry, and she sang along, voice low, as if he wasn’t standing right next to her, a frown on her face. He didn’t move away. He rather wanted to hear her sing: Lacey seemed to have a few layers to her.

“Be my breath, there’s nothing I wouldn’t give,” she crooned. The song was good, he had to admit. She opened her eyes to find him still standing next to her, face impassive. She didn’t even blink, to her credit, simply moving away and observing the player from across the store, still singing. “I used to know the name of every person I kissed, now I’ve made this bed and I can’t fall asleep in it.” The song ended after a few choruses, and Gold hit the stop button.

“Satisfied?” Lacey sauntered up and moved his hand out of the way, popping open the player and removing her CD, her boldness back in full force.

“I suppose,” she said. “I’ll take it.” Gold rang it up for her and found a box to place it in: not the box it had come in, but it would suffice.

“Not the kind of music I would expect you to like,” he said, before he could stop himself. Lacey turned at the door to the shop, her eyes narrowed.

“People like to expect things from me,” she said coolly. “I’d say you shouldn’t waste your time.” She practically slammed the door as she left. Gold retrieved another item to polish.

He was half sure he could still expect a few things about her, but he certainly wouldn’t waste his time underestimating her.

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a series now, hmmm. Because my other series isn't enough for me. This is cursed!Gold and Lacey, but they are in cursed Storybrooke, with a few twists: time isn't as static, so age everyone down five years or so? I'm still hammering out details.
> 
> The lyrics are from Brand New's "Millstone."


End file.
